Pipe-forming machine



April 30, 1929.

A. vm. scHuL'rz PIPE FORMING MACHINE Filed April 18, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

April 30, 1.929; n A W SCHUL-rz 1,711,180

PIPE FORMING MACHINE Filed Aprills, 1928I 5 sheets-sheet 2 31a/vento@ April 30, 1929.

A. W. SCHUL-TZ 1,711,180

PIPE FORMING MACHINE Filed April 18, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 In/vento@ zzfreahw'chzzz' Patented Apr. 30, 1929.

1,711,180 PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED W. SCHULTZ, OF WATERLOO, IOWA..

` PIPEEORMI'NG MACHINE.

Appiicatieii ined April is, 192s. seriai No. 270,897.

This invention relates to means for making pipe from nioldable material suoli as concrete or cement and particularly to means for vforming pipe sections having Haring or bellshaped ends adapted to receive the ends fother sections. n i It is old to form pipe sections in a machine of the type. having an external mold and a rotary head adapted to form the interior sur-V face or bore. Such machines have been provided further with arms which may be eX- tended into the flaring ends of the sections to pack the concrete. Such a machine is described and illustrated in United States Pat-- ent No. 1,177,734, dated April 4;, 1916, to Stewart and Schenk. The present invention comprises a machine of this type particularly adapted to pack the concrete or cement in the bell or flare of a pipe containing a metal reinforcement. As far as I am advised, the old forms of machines have notbeen capable of forming such pipe. A

My objects are: first, to provide in such a machine packer arms adapted to extend into the flaring end or bell of a mold in the restricted space between the end form or pallet and reinforcement; second, to provide oscillating arms adapted upon their working strokes to direct the concrete'outward intov the bell of the pipe and between the reinforcement and the outer mold; third, to provide such a machine with means for properly centering the reinforcement in the walls of' the pipe and, fourth, to provide improved operating mechanism flor vertically oscillatini` packer arms. This invention also includes certain other novel fcatures'of con- `struction which will bemore fully pointed out iii'the following specification and claims. Tn the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a pipe forming machine, having my improvements there'- on; Fig. Q is a front elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing mechanism for operating packer arms with the operating lever in raised positiongvFig. 4 is a central vertical section through a typical mold and the former head having my improvedpacker arms thereon; Fig.

the operating mechanism for said arms .with the lever in lowered position; Fig. 6 is an end View of one of the packer arms;y Fig. 7, is a perspective view of one ofsaid arms andl Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 4.

Referring particularlyto Figs. 4 and 8,1ny

is a front elevation of.`

invention is adapted for use on a machine of the type in which the outer surface of a pipe is formed by a. mold 10 having a flaring portion 11. An inner mold or pallet 12 projects up within the portion 11, forming an annular recess within the saine to receive concrete. The inner surface or bore of the pipe, indicated by the dotted line'13 in F ig. 4l, is formed by a cylindrical head 14, which is rotated and: y

the outer periphery of the head. vThese cheek-` pieces also assist in packing vand smoothing the material in the rform-ation of thebore of the pipe.

It will be evident-'that the location of the reinforcement wires 16 and l17 within the flaring portion of the inold leaves an" eX- treinely restricted space for the operationof mechanism for packing the bell. To pack the concrete outward and downward in the flaring end of the mold, I provide a pair of lpacker armsQO, which are pivoted upon pins.21 in recesses at opposite sides of the headv 141. As shown in Figs. G and 7, the packer arms ex# tend obliquely upwardl from the pivot pin 21 and have offset portions 22, formed to clear the upper extremity of the pallet V12. At itsv outer or operating end, each arm 2O has a rThe shaft extends vertically and is mov? able longitudinally and revolublein bearings 31 and 32 supported upon the frame of the inarchine.v Another bearing BOfis slidable longitudinally with .the shaft 15 as hereinafter described. The upper ends of the rods 23 ar secured to suitable ears projecting 'from a collar 33 upon the shaft 15, said shaft passing` freely through the collar. Beneath the collar 33 is a clamp 34, which is lixed upon the shaft and projects at opposite sides to form bearings for the rods 23. To maintain the collar 33 in spaced relation to the clamp 34, l provide a coiled spring 35, which eneircles said shaft and abuts at its upper and lower ends respectively against said collar and clamp. A portion of the collar 33, which projects upward along the shatt 15 is termed with an annular groove for a ring 36. This ring is connected by a linll: 37 to a lever 33 tor operating the packer arms. Vhe tulcrum 'for the lever 38 consists ofa pivot pin 39, supported upon a vert-ical rod 40. A transverse trame member 41 supports the rod 40 and is formed with an opening in which said rod is slidable. Springs 42 and 43 are mounted upon the rod 40, below and above the trame member 41 respectively, to form resilient retaining means for said rod. A detent 44V projects downward adjacent to the lever 33 to support said lever in elevated position. This detent is secured to the frame member 41 and has a projecting lug 45 adapt ed to extend beneath the lever 33 when said lever is raised.

Any suitable mechanism for rotating the shaft 15 and for imparting longitudinal movement thereto may be provided, but the mechanism herein shown is similar to that de? scribed in the patent to Stewart and Schenk above referred to. This mechanism, as far .as it is pertinent to the present invention, may be described as follows. Between the bearings 31 and 32, the shai't 15 has keyed thereto a pulley 46, adapted to be rotated by a belt 47. The belt 47 may be driven by a suitable electric motor under control ot a clutch. lt will be understood that although the shaft 15 is keyed to the pulley 46 it is 'tree to move longitudinally therethrough. To move the shatt l5 longitudinally, a collar 43 may be .fixed thereon above the bearing 30, and the latter bearing is connected to the lower end et a cable 49, which passes over a guide pulley 5() and is arranged to be wound upon a drum 51 upon a shaft 52. A worm wheel and worm are provided for turning the shait 52 and the worm may be driven by an electric motor through any suitable or well known power transmitting mechanism, whereby the direction of rotation of the worm may be reversed. To guide the shaft 15 in its longitudinal movement, I provide a pair of large rods 53, which are rigidly supported upon the 'frame in brackets 54. The bearing 30 has laterally projecting arms connecting it to bearings 55 slidable upon the rods 53.

At the base of the frame, a suitable support 56 is provided for the pallet 12 and mold 10. This support may be supplied with pintles 57 to removably engage the pallet 12. To

hold the mold 10 down and properly center it relative to the shaft 15, a table 53 is mounted above the mold and arranged for vertical movement upon the guide rods 53. Smaller rods 59 extend vertically adjacent to the guide rods 53, the lower ends of the rods 59 being secured to the table 53 and their upper ends being slidable in suitable bearings 60 which project lrom a pair or" the supports 54. Movement or the rods 59 in the bearings 60 is limited by collars 51 and 62, which are rigidly secured to said rods below and above the bearings 50 respectively. T he collars (il project into the path ot the bearings 55. Thus, in the operation ot the ina-- chine w ien the bearings and 30 are carried upward with the shaft l5 and approach the upper extremity ot their movement, the bearings 55 strike the collars 61 and raise the rod 59 together with the table 53.

Operation.

To mount the mold in the machine, the pallet 12 is first placed upon the support 56 and then the reinforcement is supported upon the pallet, the lower ends oil" the longitudinal wires 17 resting thereon. `Now the mold 10 is centered upon the pallet, as shown in Fig. 4, and the support 56 is placed in axial alignment with the shaft 15. Assuming that the head 14 is raised to its uppermost position, the bearings 55 would be in engagement with the collars 6l so that the table 53 is elevated tree oit the mold. New the shaft 15 may be lowered by unwinding the cable 49 from the drum 5l. This lowers the table 58 upon the top oit the mold 10 so as to retain said mold in properly centered position. Continued downward, movement ot the shaft carries the head 14 down through the central opening in the pallet l2 until the upper surface 13 ot the head is substantially lush with the upper extremity ot said pallet. i

During the downward movement ot the shaft 15 and head 14, tno arms 20 are retained in their raised position, indicated in dotted lines in F ig. 4. and supported upon the detent 44 during the downward movement. Now assun'iing thatthe head 14 is in its lowest position, shown in Fig. 4, concrete suiiicient to form the bell otl the pipe may be admitted through the central opening in the table 53, whence it falls upon the surface 13 of the head 14. The shaft l5 and head 14 are now rotated in the direction indicated by an arrow in Fig. 3, longitudinal movement of the shaft being arrested until the bell of the pipe is formed. The cheelr pieces 19 throw the concrete beyond the outer periphery ot the head 14, where it falls into the annular recess formed between the pallet 12 and flaring portion 11 of the mold. is the rotation ot the head 14 continues, the lever 38 may be released from the detent- 44 and manu-L ally oscillated about its horizontalpivot 39.

Thus, the lever 38 is raised This imparts reciprocating movement to the rods 28 and oscillating downward .and outward movement to the arms 2() which pack the concrete firmly in the bell of the mold.`

Simultaneously with thispacking operation, 'the arms 20 cent-er the reinforcement wires 16 and 17. Thus, if said reinforcement is not properly centered in the mold, the arms 2O in their rotation will move the wires to their positions equidistant fromthe mold. It will be noted that by reason of the location of the pivot pins 21 beneath the upper surface of the head and pallet, the arms 2O are directed outwardly as well as downwardly. This forces the concrete out between the wires of the rein forcementand firmly packs it against the inner surface of the mold, as well as between the pallet and reinforcement. This arrangement also makes it possible to operate the packer arms in the restricted space between th-e reinforcement and outer extremity of the pallet 12. As the arms 20 are swung back or retracted from the annular recess in the bell, they are thus caused to clear the reinforcement.

The oscillating movement of the arms 20 is continueduntil the concrete becomes lirmly packed in the bell, when it automatically forces the arms'upward. My arrangement of the spring minimizes the work of oscillating the .lever 38 because the weight of the parts, including the rods 28, arms 2O and lever 38 is offset by the spring, which tends to raise the lever. The springs 42 Aand 43 give a resiliency to the packing strokes, which insures a substantially uniform packing of the bell,"

with the detent 44C and minimizes the danger of bending or breaking parts of the appa ratus if the lever is moved upward with too great force. Y A A After the bell has "been packed, the arms 2O are retracted to their dotted lineV position, shown in Fig. 4 and the upward travel of the head simultaneous with the continned'rotation thereof is started. `Additional quantities of concrete ar-e supplied from time -to time as the pipe isy formed, the cheek pieces 19 operating to feed ythe concrete outward and to trowel the inner surface while the head linishes the trowelling operation. By these means, a smooth, uniform bore in the pipe is insured, while th-e cylindrical portion of the 'pipe is formed and the wires 16 and 17 are embedded therein. As the head 14 passes out through the central opening in the table 58, the bearings strike the. collars 61 on the rods 59 and raise the table out of engagement with the mold. rlhe pip-e lwith its mold and pallet, may now be removed from the support f 56 and the mold stripped from the pipe in the usualmanner.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with an outer mold having a flaring lower end and anvinner mold extending up into said end in spaced'relation thereto, forming an annular recess to be packed with moldable material, an arm pivoted at a point below the upper extremity of said inner mold and arranged to be extended into said recess and means for operating said arm in an outward and downward direction to pack said material in said recess.

2. The combination with an outer mold having a flaring end and `an'inner mold extending into said end in spaced relation thereto, forming an annular recess 'to be packed with moldable material, an arm pivoted ati a point .longitudinally outward from the inner extremity ofsaid inner mold and extending into said recess, means for rotating the free end of said arm in said recess and means for simultaneously oscillating said arm into and out of said recess.

3. The combination with an outer mold having a flaring end and an inner mold ex-v tending into said end in spaced relation thereto', forming an annular recess to be packedwith moldable material, of an arm pivoted at a point longitudinally. outward from the inner extremity of said inner mold, means vfor traversing the freepend of' said arm in said recess and means for simultaneously oscillating said arm into and out of said recess, said arm havingan upwardly offset middle portion and an outer portion arrangedto extend below the inner extremity of said inner mold. l n l l.v The combination with an outery mold having' a flaring end and an inner mold extending into said end 'in spaced relation thereto and forming an annular recess adapt- .'ed to be'packed with moldable material, said vinner mold being formed rwith a central Opening, a rotary supportv closingsaid opening, a vpacker Yarm carried by said support and having a pivot positionedr longitudinally outward from the inner `surfaceof said sup-v port,-said'arm having a portion formed to project into said annular recess, a trowelling `member on thefreevend of said arm, means thereto, forming an annular recess adapted to be. filled with moldable material, said inner mold being formed with a central opening, a rotary support revoluble Ain said openinfr, the inner surface of said support beingsubstantially flush with the inner extremity of llO said inner mold, a packer arm pivoted upon said support and having its pivot positioned longitudinally outward from the inner surface of said support, said arm having an outer portion formed to extend within said annular recess, trowelling surfaces formed on the outer end of said arm, means for rotating said support and means for oscillating said arm to pack said material in an outward direction in said recess.

6. The combination with a cylindrical outer mold having a flaring, lower end and an inner mold extending up into said end in spaced relation thereto and forming an annular recess adapted to be filled with moldable material, said inner mold being formed with a central opening, a rotary support adapted to close said opening and arranged to be positioned with its inner surface sub stantially flush with lthe inner extremity efsaid inner mold, a packer arm pivoted upon said support with its pivot positioned below the inner surface of said support, said arm projecting substantially radially, a downwardly and rearwardly projecting free end arranged to extend lwithin said annulairecess, trowelling surfaces formed onl the outer and normally lower extremities of said end of said arm, means for rotating said support and means for oscillating said arnr to pack said material in an outward direction in said recess.

7. The combination with a mold having a flaring end and an annular recess in said end to be packed ywith moldable material, an arm pivoted and arranged to extend into said annular recess for packing material therein and means for oscillatingsaid arm comprising a lever operatively connected with said arm, a movable support for said lever, a fixed support adjacent to said movable support and resilientmeans interposed between said fixed and movable supports to .impart resiliency to the packing stroke of said ar 8. The combination with a mold having a flaring end and an annular recess in said end to be packed with moldable material, an arm pivoted and. arranged to extend into said annular recess for packing material therein, a shaft extending into said mold and connected to said arm for rotating the same in said recess and means for oscillating said arm comprising a lever operatively connected with said arm, a collar slidable on said shaft and operatively connected to said lever, a fixed support adjacent to said collar and a spring interposed between said fixed support and collar to resiliently support said packer arm and lever.

9. The -combination with a mold having a Haring end and an annular recess to be packed with moldable material, an element adapted to be extended into said mold and to be rotated therein, an arm pivotally carried by said element and formed to entend into said annularrecess to pack said material therein, a shaft for rotating said element projecting from said mold, a collar on said shaft slidable longitudinally thereon, means operatively connectiny' said collar with said arm for oscillating said arm, a lever connected with said collar to impart recipr eating movement thereto along said shaft, a pivot for said lever arranged for movement substantially longitudinally of said shaft and resilient means supporting said pivot.

l0. rlhe combination in a machine for forming reinforced pipe, of an outer mold having a flaring end and an inner mold eX- tending into said end in spaced relation thereto, forming an annular recess to be packed with moldable material, a. reini'oicinent to beV embedded in the pipe disposed in spaced relation to the inner surface of said mold, a rotary element in said mold, a pair of arms pivoted on opposite sides of said element, said arms being adapted to be extended into said recess between said reinforcement and inner mold to engage and center said reinforcement'in said mold and means for voscillating said arms in an outward direction to pack concrete between said reinforcement and mold.

ll. The combinationV in a machine for forming reinforced pipe, of an outer mold havinga flaring end and an'inner mold extending into said end in spaced relation thereto, forming an annular recess to be packed with moldable material, a wire reinforcement to be embedded, disposed in spaced relation to the inner surface of said mold, a rotary element in said mold, a pair of arms pivoted on said element and having pivots located longitudinally outward from the inner extremity of said inner mold, said arms being adapted to be extended into said recess to engage and center said reinforcement in said mold and means .for oscillating said arms into and out of said recess.

ln testimony whereof, l have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

ALFRED W. SCHULTZ. 

